News

UNC Commission to Hold Public Forum

January 9, 2009

January 9, 2009

FOR RELEASE AT WILL – The UNC Study Commission to Review Student Codes of Conduct as They Relate to Hate Crimes has scheduled a public forum on Thursday, January 15 to provide interested organizations and individuals an opportunity to share their concerns and perspectives about student conduct and hate crimes. The public forum will begin at 1:00 p.m. in the Board Room of the Spangler Center, located at 910 Raleigh Road in Chapel Hill.

CHAPEL HILL

Established last month in response to community reaction to racist statements spray-painted in the Free Expression Tunnel at NC State University following the November 4 elections, the Commission will advise UNC President Erskine Bowles on whether or not a University-wide policy addressing hate crimes and acts of violence and intimidation should be recommended to the UNC Board of Governors for consideration. The Commission, which includes students, staff, and faculty from 10 UNC institutions, also will consider the development of a University-wide requirement for diversity orientation for all first-time students. The group will forward its final recommendations to President Bowles no later than March 31. Commission recommendations will take into consideration federal and state Constitutional rights to free speech and will not infringe on those rights.

Individuals wishing to address the Commission at the January 15 forum are urged to pre-register. Prospective speakers should forward their requests (include name, organization (if applicable), address, telephone number, and email address) to Commission Chairman Harold Martin at study_commission@northcarolina.edu . Forum speakers will be asked to limit their public comments to five minutes, but are free to share more extensive written statements with the Commission. Those unable to attend the forum may also forward input to the Commission atstudy_commission@northcarolina.edu.